PhD Candidate in Oncology

This is NTNU

NTNU is a broad-based university with a technical-scientific profile and a focus in professional education. The university is located in three cities with headquarters in Trondheim.

At NTNU, 9,000 employees and 43,000 students work to create knowledge for a better world.

You will find more information about working at NTNU and the application process here.

About the job

We have a vacancy for a PhD candidate in the lung cancer research group at the Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, NTNU. The group collaborates closely with the Department of Oncology at St. Olavs hospital, and members of the research group include, among others, physicians and researchers of oncology, pathology, bioinformatics and molecular biology. 

This interdisciplinary research group conducts international intervention trials including collection of biological material for comprehensive translational research. The overall aim is to improve treatment and develop a clinically relevant classification system for improved management of small cell lung cancer. 

In the present project, we will analyze data from a completed clinical trial in thoracic radiotherapy in limited stage small cell lung cancer, which means that all the material has been collected. The aim is to assess relapse patterns after chemoradiotherapy, in order to reveal mechanisms behind treatment failure, and investigate whether they can be prevented. 

For a position as a PhD Candidate, the goal is a completed doctoral education up to an obtained doctoral degree.

Your immidiate leader is Professor Bjørn H. Grønberg. 

Duties of the position

The PhD candidate`s main responsibility will be to analyze radiotherapy treatment plans, CT and PET CT images, and perform data analyses including clinical data. The following tasks are allocated to the position: 

• Assess timing and location of relapses, overall and in the thorax
• Re-examine radiotherapy treatment plans to assess whether relapses occurred inside or outside target volumes, and estimate the radiotherapy doses delivered to location of thoracic relapses
• In close collaboration with radiologists and nuclear medicine physicians, re-examine baseline and follow-up CT and PET CT images to assess whether there were signs of pathologic lesions in these locations at baseline
• Evaluate whether it would have been possible to include locations of relapses in the target volumes
• Perform statistical analyses and interpretation of results, especially with respect to clinical relevance and impact on future clinical practice
• Present and publish results
• Assist in other, related research, especially ongoing projects investigating associations between disease extent and treatment outcomes
• Contribute to the daily running of the research group, e.g. by arranging meetings

Required selection criteria

• You must have a professionally relevant background, preferably in medicine, physics, medical imaging or radiotherapy
• Your education must correspond to a five-year Norwegian degree program, where 120 credits are obtained at master's level
• You must have a strong academic background from your previous studies and an average grade from the master's degree program, or equivalent education, which is equal to B or better compared with NTNU's grading scale. If you do not have letter grades from previous studies, you must have an equally good academic basis. If you have a weaker grade background, you may be assessed if you can document that you are particularly suitable for a PhD education.
• You need to have good written and oral English language skills
• Master's students can apply, but the master's degree must be obtained and documented by July 1, 2025. 
• You must meet the requirements for admission to the faculty's doctoral program

The appointment is to be made in accordance with Regulations on terms of employment for positions such as postdoctoral fellow, Phd candidate, research assistant and specialist candidate and Regulations concerning the degrees of Philosophiae Doctor (PhD) and Philosodophiae Doctor (PhD) in artistic research national guidelines for appointment as PhD, post doctor and research assistant 

Preferred selection criteria

• Experience in clinical cancer research
• Experience with analyses of CT and PET CT images
• Experience with radiotherapy treatment planning
• Experience with statistical analyses
• Experience with AI radiomics modelling and analyses
• Good written and oral Norwegian language skills

Personal characteristics

• Ability to work independently and with scientific, experimental and technological creativity
• Analytical and critical thinking
• Motivated and excellent team player with positive attitude and with high ambitions on behalf of yourself and the group
• Inquisitive with ambitions of acquiring new knowledge and skills
• Ability to adjust approaches to overcome setbacks or solve challenges

Emphasis will be placed on personal and interpersonal qualities.

We offer

• exciting and stimulating tasks in a strong international academic environment
• an open and inclusive work environment with dedicated colleagues
• favourable terms in the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund
employee benefits

Salary and conditions

As a PhD candidate (code 1017) you are normally paid from gross NOK 532 200 per annum before tax, depending on qualifications and seniority. From the salary, 2% is deducted as a contribution to the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund.

The period of employment is 3 years in 100% position (6 years in 50% position can be discussed).

Appointment to a PhD position requires that you are admitted to the PhD programme in medicine within three months of employment, and that you participate in an organized PhD programme during the employment period.

--------------------------------

The engagement is to be made in accordance with the regulations in force concerning State Employees and Civil Servants, and the acts relating to Control of the Export of Strategic Goods, Services and Technology. Candidates who by assessment of the application and attachment are seen to conflict with the criteria in the latter law will be prohibited from recruitment to NTNU. After the appointment you must assume that there may be changes in the area of work.

It is a prerequisite you can be present at and accessible to the institution daily.

About the application

The application and supporting documentation to be used as the basis for the assessment must be in English or Norwegian. 

Publications and other scientific work must be attached to the application. Please note that your application will be considered based solely on information submitted by the application deadline. You must therefore ensure that your application clearly demonstrates how your skills and experience fulfil the criteria specified above.

The application must include: 

• CV and certificates
• transcripts and diplomas for bachelor's and master's degrees. If you have not completed the master's degree, you must submit a confirmation that the master's thesis has been submitted.
• A copy of the master's thesis. If you recently have submitted your master's thesis, you can attach a draft of the thesis. Documentation of a completed master's degree must be presented before taking up the position.
• Name and contact information of three referees
• Publications or other relevant research work you might have

If all, or parts, of your education has been taken abroad, we also ask you to attach documentation of the scope and quality of your entire education, both bachelor's and master's education, in addition to other higher education. Description of the documentation required can be found here. If you already have a statement from Norwegian Directorate for Higher Education and Skills, please attach this as well.

We will take joint work into account. If it is difficult to identify your efforts in the joint work, you must enclose a short description of your participation.

In the evaluation of which candidate is best qualified, emphasis will be placed on education, experience and personal and interpersonal qualities. Motivation, ambitions, and potential will also count in the assessment of the candidates. 

NTNU is committed to following evaluation criteria for research quality according to The San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment - DORA.

General information

NTNU believes that inclusion and diversity is our strength. We want to recruit people with different competencies, educational backgrounds, life experiences and perspectives to contribute to solving our social responsibilities within education and research. We will facilitate for our employees’ needs.

-----------------

The city of Trondheim is a modern European city with a rich cultural scene. Trondheim is the innovation capital of Norway with a population of 200,000. The Norwegian welfare state, including healthcare, schools, kindergartens and overall equality, is probably the best of its kind in the world. Professional subsidized day-care for children is easily available. Furthermore, Trondheim offers great opportunities for education (including international schools) and possibilities to enjoy nature, culture and family life and has low crime rates and clean air quality.

----------------------

As an employee at NTNU, you must at all times adhere to the changes that the development in the subject entails and the organizational changes that are adopted.

A public list of applicants with name, age, job title and municipality of residence is prepared after the application deadline. If you want to reserve yourself from entry on the public applicant list, this must be justified. Assessment will be made in accordance with current legislation. You will be notified if the reservation is not accepted.

If you have any questions about the position, please contact Bjørn H. Grønberg, telephone +47 47 29 78 78, email bjorn.h.gronberg@ntnu.no. If you have any questions about the recruitment process, please contact Elisabeth Myrvang, e-mail: elisabeth.myrvang@ntnu.no. 

If you think this looks interesting and in line with your qualifications, please submit your application electronically via jobbnorge.no with your CV, diplomas and certificates attached. Applications submitted elsewhere will not be considered. Upon request, you must be able to obtain certified copies of your documentation.